A foodie weekend near Chester

Some of the best cooking in Cheshire and Shropshire is within easy reach of the Lakehouse, from Gary Usher's village pub to tiny tasting menu restaurants. Spend the day eating well, then come back to the lake, light the log burner and run the copper bath under the stars.

A suggested weekend

Friday Check in from 3pm and settle in on the deck. For dinner, stroll or cycle the mile to the Cock O'Barton, our local. Or stay in and fire up the wood fired oven with our pizza kit.

Saturday Start with coffee on the deck [and pastries from Usher's Bakehouse, then cycle to the Lost Barn for brunch and pick up supplies from the farm shop. In the afternoon, visit Walk Mill to see flour being stone ground (and buy some to take home), or call in at Stretton Watermill in the summer. For dinner, book the White Horse in Churton or 209 in Farndon, both a short drive away.

Sunday A lazy breakfast on the deck, then a proper Sunday roast before you head home: the Cock O'Barton, the Cholmondeley Arms with its high ceilings and open fires, or the Grosvenor Arms in Aldford.

Staying longer?

  • A special night out: The Vines at Carden Park, three AA Rosettes, right next door.

  • A day in Whitchurch: walk the canal to the Grindley Brook locks, then dinner at Wild Shropshire or Docket. Book well ahead, as both have very few tables.

  • A day in Chester: lunch at Sticky Walnut in Hoole, Gary Usher's first restaurant, then an evening at Chef's Table, Upstairs at the Grill or The Ivy. Uber brings you home.

Where to eat

    • The White Horse, Churton: Gary Usher's village pub, with seasonal cooking and guest chef nights.

    • 209, Farndon: a tiny restaurant for a special night; your table is yours for the evening.

    • The Vines at Carden Park: three AA Rosettes, next door.

    • Wild Shropshire, Whitchurch: a surprise tasting menu for 14 guests, grown on their own farm.

    • Docket, Whitchurch: imaginative tasting menus from Stuart and Frances Collins.

    • The Cock O'Barton: our local, a mile's stroll away, with excellent Sunday roasts.

    • The Cholmondeley Arms: a Victorian schoolhouse turned country pub; excellent food.

    • The Grosvenor Arms, Aldford: a grand country pub on the edge of the Eaton Estate.

    • The Pheasant Inn, Burwardsley: fireside lunches after a walk on the Sandstone Ridge.

    • The Carden Arms, Tilston: a bike ride away; Friday fish and chips.

    • Sticky Walnut, Hoole: Gary Usher's original bistro.

    • Chef's Table: seasonal cooking from their own farm.

    • Upstairs at the Grill: New York style steaks and cocktails.

  • The Lost Barn: speciality coffee roasted on site, brunch and a farm shop.

    • Usher's Bakehouse, Hoole: sourdough, pastries and cruffins.

    • Walk Mill, Waverton: a working flour mill with a café.

    • Cambers, Tattenhall: farm shop, butchery and café.

    • Bellis Brothers, Holt: farm shop with local meat, cheese and bakery.

Full details, distances and booking links for every place are on our Nearby page.

Getting around

The Cock O'Barton is a mile's stroll away, and the bikes are perfect for the Lost Barn and the Carden Arms. Most other places are a short drive. Heading into Chester? Uber runs reliably between the city and the cabin, so neither of you needs to drive. For local evenings out, book a taxi ahead.

Food lovers' dates for the diary

  • Easter: the food and drink festival at Chester Racecourse.

  • Late summer: Nantwich Food Festival.

  • All year: guest chef nights at the White Horse. Follow them on Instagram for dates.

See more on our What's on through the year page.

 Your retreat in the country

Book now